Match Day Thread Time to look at our defence 2023/2024

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But this isn't the crux of the problem - the main reason why the defence is sh*t is because a) the defenders are w*nk and b) they have Gerrard ahead of them.

Now that Johnson and Lovren are injured, hopefully we can see Sakho and Manquillo starting more games, and we can then put Can/Lucas as the DM.

I guess we'll find out soon enough. I'm not holding my breath though :p
 
Echo have said that Rodgers dismissed the idea of a defensive coach, and feels he already has the staff needed to put things right.
 
Jimmy Squarefoot:7401476 said:
I put it down to three things mainly.

1 - Protection from midfield
2 - Mignolet and his lack of command
3 - Lack of balance (our CB's dont look like a balance pairing like Terry and Cahill or Ramos and Varane).

Exactly - it's the whole unit that needs looking at. Funny thing is, we have Manquillo, Moreno, Toure and Sakho who can form a very good defence. Then we play Lucas or Can ahead of them.

It's not perfect but it provides us with a better platform to defend - and these are players we already own. Rodgers is hell bent on playing Johnson, Skrtel and Lovren.

Johnson and now Lovren is potentially injured - can't stop smiling.

:-)
 
I thought Sakho looked good when he came on against Bournemouth. Looked far more comfortable in the left of a back 3 compared to Lovren who was beaten far too easily. Guess it helps being left footed and having played left back a bit.

I just love watching Sakho pass the ball. He looks like he shouldn't be able to but he just fizzes it into the forwards feet with pace and accuracy. For a CB it's very impressive. 24 the guy could become a monster of a CB he just needs the chance.
 
InBiscanWeTrust:7404036 said:
I thought Sakho looked good when he came on against Bournemouth. Looked far more comfortable in the left of a back 3 compared to Lovren who was beaten far too easily. Guess it helps being left footed and having played left back a bit.

I just love watching Sakho pass the ball. He looks like he shouldn't be able to but he just fizzes it into the forwards feet with pace and accuracy. For a CB it's very impressive. 24 the guy could become a monster of a CB he just needs the chance.

Thats the point. He hasn't had the chance under Brendan who trys to prove Lovrens critics wrong. Wednesday may have been tipping point.
 
Thats the point. He hasn't had the chance under Brendan who trys to prove Lovrens critics wrong. Wednesday may have been tipping point.

With Lovren being injured, if BR is going to stick to 3 at the back he'll be forced to use Sakho.

I can see BR being bloody stubborn an changing to a back 4 for Sunday just so he doesn't have to use Sakho and goes with Skrtel/Toure though <grr>
 
With Lovren being injured, if BR is going to stick to 3 at the back he'll be forced to use Sakho.

I can see BR being bloody stubborn an changing to a back 4 for Sunday just so he doesn't have to use Sakho and goes with Skrtel/Toure though <grr>

I think we need to go back to a four on Sunday, Arsenal will tear us apart with a three! I'd prefer Mankiller, Moreno, Toure and Sakho at the back with Lucas protecting. Hendo and Can playing B2B, Sterling, Marko and Lallana making up the front three. Couldn't give a **** about who's in net, we're screwed whatever happens there.
 
InBiscanWeTrust:7404063 said:
Thats the point. He hasn't had the chance under Brendan who trys to prove Lovrens critics wrong. Wednesday may have been tipping point.

With Lovren being injured, if BR is going to stick to 3 at the back he'll be forced to use Sakho.

I can see BR being bloody stubborn an changing to a back 4 for Sunday just so he doesn't have to use Sakho and goes with Skrtel/Toure though <grr>

Will put money on him doing that.
 
I think we need to go back to a four on Sunday, Arsenal will tear us apart with a three! I'd prefer Mankiller, Moreno, Toure and Sakho at the back with Lucas protecting. Hendo and Can playing B2B, Sterling, Marko and Lallana making up the front three. Couldn't give a **** about who's in net, we're screwed whatever happens there.

You mean like this only with Lallana instead of Coutinho <whistle>

I've said it a 1000 times

Mig
Flanno/Manquillo Toure Sakho Moreno/Enrique
Lucas
Can Henderson
Coutinho Stelring Markovic


Young, pacey, hungry players with points to prove. Stick Sterling wide when Sturridge is back

Forgot about Lallana who has been very good recently as well.. him coutinho and markovic can rotate.
 
You mean like this only with Lallana instead of Coutinho <whistle>

Yes. I didn't say Flanno because he needs to gain match fitness before playing games like this, plus I'm not 100% sure he is back :huh:

I said Lallana instead of Coutinho because I think the latter has been disappointed this season. He seems to disappear after 20-30 minutes, he also seems to have his best games coming off the bench (makes sense if he's only coping for half hour tops).

Migs won't play, it'll be Jones...

[video=youtube;99CDSkIsvkM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99CDSkIsvkM[/video]

...<doh>
 
Yes. I didn't say Flanno because he needs to gain match fitness before playing games like this, plus I'm not 100% sure he is back :huh:

I said Lallana instead of Coutinho because I think the latter has been disappointed this season. He seems to disappear after 20-30 minutes, he also seems to have his best games coming off the bench (makes sense if he's only coping for half hour tops).

Migs won't play, it'll be Jones...

[video=youtube;99CDSkIsvkM]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=99CDSkIsvkM[/video]

...<doh>

I'll say it here as well... that robot at least dived the right way <whistle>
 
And I thought Coutinho did well yesterday. He goes past players in the middle of the pitch so easily it's a joy to watch when he's on form. Also, he was excellent against Arsenal last year.
 
And I thought Coutinho did well yesterday. He goes past players in the middle of the pitch so easily it's a joy to watch when he's on form. Also, he was excellent against Arsenal last year.

He did do well in the first half but then he disappeared again. I'd questioned before whether it was the other team getting a better grip of the game that isolated his impact but I think its the other way around now, I think his drop in performance is allowing the other team to take control. We became better again once Can replaced him.
 
Coutinho was far more influential in the second half. Play him deeper in a CM role and you can see his impact - he and Can are the only ones who can carry the ball from the midfield and take players on. This is what we need in order to drive the team further up the pitch.

His decision making does need to improve - I think there is more pressure on him to score more goals whereas before, he would simply play the right pass to the attacker/striker.

And Sakho was a beast - I know it's only Bournemouth but we saw how Lovren was beaten so easily in the first half, combined with the fact that this was Sakho's first appearance in a long time. Shows how good his positioning his compared to the clowns (Lovren and Skrtel).

And I agree on his passing - he will get stick for 'looking' uncomfortable but he is by far our most effective defender on the ball. People think Skrtel and Lovren are good on the ball because they're conventional and just end up passing to the full backs, each other or to the keeper. Sakho's passes are quick, direct and go straight into the midfield. It's starts attacks and bypasses lines.
 
when does the ban kick in? As won't balotelli now have a chance to appeal the "harshness" of the punishment? so there will be an appeal deadline after which the ban takes effect?